La Renotière. Among his holdings were many world-famous rarities, including both values of the "Post Office" Mauritius and three examples of the Inverted Head Four Annas of India. It is the only intact private collection formed during the Nineteenth century, with examples of practically every stamp issued world-wide up to 1889. In 1870 or 1871 Tapling joined the Philatelic Society in London (which subsequently became the Royal Philatelic Society London), being elected to its Committee in 1876. He became Vice-President in 1881 following the death of the former incumbent in a railway accident. The Tapling Medal, in silver, was created in his memory by the RPSL and first awarded in 1920. His name was recorded on the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists in 1921 as one of the original "Fathers of Philately". Death and legacy Tapling died at the age of 35 of pleurisy at Gumley Hall, Market Harborough in Leicestershire. His collection was bequeathed to the British Museum. It currently forms the Tapling Collection in the Philatelic Collections of the British Library. The collection includes these rarities: Gold Coast: 1883 (May) 1d on 4d magenta, unique; Great Britain: 1858–79 1d red, plate 77, one of a few known; Hawaii: 1851–52 2 cents to 13 cents (both types), the "Missionaries"; India: 1854 4 annas blue and pale red, error head inverted, two used on a cover, unique; Mauritius: 1847 1d red used on cover and 2d blue, the "Post Office" issue; Spain: 1851 2 reales, error of colour, one of three known; Switzerland: Zurich: 1843 4 rappen, the unique unsevered horizontal strip of five; Uruguay: 1858 120 centavos blue and 180 centavos green, in tête beche pairs, two of five known; Western Australia: 1854–55 4d blue, error frame inverted. The collection also includes a significant number of colour varieties of early United States postal issues. References External links 1855 births 1891 deaths Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies UK MPs 1886–1892 British philatelists Philately of India People from Dulwich People educated at Harrow School English cricketers Alumni of Trinity College, Cambridge British barristers Fathers of philately Marylebone Cricket Club cricketers American Philatelic Society